Live Review: ARIA Week: The Rubens, YesYou, Asta

A part of the inaugural Aria Week, the triple j Unearthed Party's ticket-winner only audience was packed out before any bands started. With breakfast DJs Tom and Alex MC-ing the night, the crowd were in the mood before Unearthed High winner Asta, and her keyboard accompaniment, had even walked on. The high school leaver's first Sydney show could hardly have gone better. Her '80s synth sound with modern pop vocals harkened back to Annie Lennox's groovier efforts, but she was a funky entity unto herself.

The '80s vibe continued with Brisbane's YesYou, who quickly filled the room with lush synthesised keyboard tones and indie pop rhythms. The band has great chemistry and obviously a real love of playing. Their male/female vocal sound is quintessential 21st century disco, and a SBTRKT cover in the second half really got the crowd moving. Though the group did get a little rockier as the set went on, their super saccharine sound did become a little much over a 45 minute set.

Headlining radio favourites The Rubens commanded stage presence as soon as they walked in front the audience. The band, still on what could be called their debut record tour, opened with current hot radio track The Best We Got and the crowd ate it up. The '70s revivalist blues rock sound is very in vogue these days, and The Rubens are a great addition to the pantheon, especially live. Essential radio favourite My Gun gets an early play and really gets the crowd moving. Front man Sam Margin's rock 'n' roll swagger is backed up by consistently powerful vocals; and the entire band are musically as tight as ever. The band rocked and flowed largely through their self-titled record and proved, as if it was needed, they deserved recent accolades. The Rubens may not be the world's most innovative group, but seeing them live you'd be hard pressed to argue against them as one of the most professional, bankable and downright fun rock outfits to come out of New South Wales recently.